Apparatus for lubricating trolleys



June 11, 1935. c. e. WEHRLY.

APPARATUS FOR LUBRICATINGTROLLEYS Filed Marcfi 23, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheeit 2 Cdarezde & lleZrJ y Y N R m A Patented June 11, .1935

. 2,004,386 APPARATUS FOR LUBRIGATING TROLLEYS Clarence G. Wehrly, Detroit, Mich. Application 'March 23, 1931, Serial No. 524,636

" l claims. ':(o1.1s4f-15) It has also been recognized that graphite isa' lubricant of a non-insulating nature,'but there has heretofore been lacking a practical'method or apparatus for establishinga lasting adhesion of graphite to a trolley wire, cable, or rail.

A An object of the present invention is to provide a comparatively inexpensive and expeditious method and apparatus-for so applying graphite to a trolley wire, cable, or rail as to maintain its adhesion to the latter over an extended period of time. 5

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to apply graphite to a wire,'cab1e, or rail by suspending the graphite in-a'fin'ely divided form and in association'with asuitable binder or filler in water or other suitable liquid, and spraying it in that form upon a metallic tread surface under such impact as to inject the finegraphit e particles into the pores orinterstices of the metal, whereby a secureand lasting adhesion is e'ffected.

' Another object is to provide anapparatus for practicing-said method, adapted to accurately direct the lubricating s'pray against the tread sur faceof awire, cable, or *raiL-and comprising a pan for catching'excess lubricant and returning same toasource of supply. A'further object is-to provide upon a car or other suitable-carrier a storagereservoir for a lubricant suspended in liquidandto connect saidreservoir to a nozzle associated with a contact maker carried by-said car or carrier and engaging a currentsupplying trolley wire or raiL'or a tramwaycable, and to maintaina pressure upon the contentsof said reservoir such as to deliver the suspended lubricant from said nozzle under an impact adequate to inject-the lubricant into minute poresor interstices of the wire, cable lor-rail. 1 A still rfurtherobjectyis to effect inla .simple manner such an agitation of thelubricant-suspending liquid as tomaintaih azsubsta'ntiallytuniform distribution of the graphite particles throughout -;the;:1iquid. 3 .i

and .the lower" ends. of the bracket =6 'and its arm These and various other objects the invention attainsby the construction hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. -1 is a diagrammatic, sectional elevational View of a railway car, equipped with the herein disclosed lubricating apparatus.

Fig.2 is a horizontal sectional view of one of the lubricant tanks, showing a provision for creating afmultiplicity of air jets in said tank toma-intain suspension of lubricant.

" STATES lA OFFE Fig. 3 is a verticaL-sectional view of a'lubricant supply nozzle and associated drip pan, carried by the trolley pole of said car adjacent tothe contact maker thereof. e I

Fig. 4 is "a vertical, cr0sssectiona1 viewf-of the samataken u on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3. j

Figw5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but showing an alternative type of nozzle. 1 Fig. -6 .is an axial, sectional detail of one of the nozzles, taken upon the line 6--6 of Fig. 4.

In these views, the reference character l'des ignates a trolley car (either of a track or trackless typeirequipped with the usual pole 2 and contact maker 3 to collect current from an ;overhead wire 4 The contact'ma ker, as illustrated, is a 'grooved'wheel, but the invention may be equally well applied in connection with a shoe or slide, or other form of contact. a

Behind the trolley wheel and beneath the wire ii is positioned a lubricant discharge fitting 5,

which -may Pbe "variously constructcdybuths 1 shown comprises two slightly :spaced nozzles, one at'each side of the-vertical plane of the wire, and having their axes of discharge S1133! stantially intersecting the ardent the-wire, said nozzles forming angles of I substantially 45 degrees with' -s'aid plane and-being similarlyinclined in the direction of travel o'fthe wheel'at about 45 degrees to the horizontal plane of :thewire. The described position of the outlet fittingi may be variously-maintained, the illustratedpro vision for thatpurpOSebeinga brackets, rigidly secured, as indicated at l, to the trolley harp 8 and depending therefrom, and -forme d with" a projecting arm 9, to which is clamped -a pipe 'lil carrying said jfitting. 'It is preferredto dispose the bracket 6 within an open-topped'sheet metal can ll, underlying the outlet fitting, trolley wheel-and harp-and suitably. securedlto the trolley pole.

As shown, an end wallof the pan H engages the pole, closely. adjacent to th'e harp,

cant may be delivered, under predetermined pres- V sure, to the fitting 5 through a flexible hose i3 and pipe I3a. The nature of the lubricant employed and the manner of its delivery to the trolley wire, cable or rail are very essential features of the invention.

The preferred lubricant is graphite in finely divided form suspended, together with a certain proportion of fullers earth (also finely divided) in water mother-suitable liquid. Such suspension is essential to permit an accurate control of the rate of delivery of the lubricant, to facilitate recovery of excess lubricating mixture at the point of delivery, and to prevent such fouling of the atmosphere as would necessarily result by dry delivery of the powdered graphite to thewire.

The degree of concentration of the graphite in the liquid is susceptible of. considerable 'varia-" tion, according to the quality of graphite .em ployed, satisfactory results being ordinarily obtai'riable in the ratio of three ounces of graphite to;one. gallon of water; The-function" of the fullers earth is that of a binder and filler, in that it greatly increases and prolongs adhesion of the graphite ,to' the sprayed surface. In the absence, of such aningredient, adequate adhesion of a non-viscuous lubricant has not been found obtainable, even under the impact derived from a spray. application. 'It is to; benoted, however, that various substances may serve as, a binder or filler, the fullers earth exemplifying a light, in'

expensive and non-gritty material for the' purpose, readily obtainable in finely divided form.

' Maintenance and regulation of. delivery pressure upon the suspended lubricant may be variously accomplished, but it has been found convenient and relatively inexpensive to maintain an air compression inthe tank I2, particularly'since a compressed air reservoir I4 is standard for almost all cars equippedwith trolleys or the like. Thus, as shown in Fig,j1, a pipe I5 leading from an air reservoir I 4, andcontrolled by any suitable shut off valve I6, opensinto the top portion of the tank I2, being equipped with any well known type of automatic pressure-reducing regulator 61. The lubricant delivery pipe ISa preferabIy has its inlet closely adjacent to the bottom of the tank I2, and may be suitably screened, as indicated at I8.

Pressure in the tank I2 prohibits continuous return to the latter of the excess lubricant caught by the panI I, and therefore, a secondtank' I9 is installed preferably at a level above'the tank I2, and has a drain connection thereto from the pan II established by a flexible hose 2!! and pipe 20a. To discharge the contents of the tank I9 into the tank I2,- air pressure inthe latter is relieved and a flow established through a pipe connection 2I. by opening a valve 22. V

1 Itis evident that volume of the mixture stored in the described circulating system must gradually diminish, in-use of the apparatus, by adhesion to the wire and dissipation to atmosphere. Occasional replenishment of said mixture is therefore necessary. Accordingly, thereis installed in thecar I- a third tank 23, receiving a reservesupply of suspended lubricant for occasional delivery to the tank I2. Preferably, the tank 23 is at a level above the tank I2 and has a delivery connection I9 and 23, such agitation may be conveniently maintained by air jets. Thus a jet head, such as is exemplified at 26 is provided in each of said tanks, adjacent to the bottom thereof, each having a multiplicity of small downwardly opening vents, from which air impinges upon substantially the entire bottom surfaces of the tanks. As best shown in Fig. 2, the heads 26 may comprise a system of radialpipes communicating axially of the tanks with air delivery pipes 2! leading from a common control valve 28 to which air is supplied from the reservoir I4.

Because of the considerable air pressure maintainedin the tank I2, employment of air jets to agitatethe contents thereof is not easily feasible, and it is preferred to install in the bottomportion of said tank a rotary agitator 29 driven by a '(or' in other suitable proximity to) the trolleywireto be lubricatedi The three agitators being energized and suitable air pressure beingestablished in the tank I 2, the contents thereof are delivered through the pipe I3a and hose I3 to the outlet fitting 5. From the latter the lubricating mixture is discharged againstthe under faceof the wire with suiiicient impact to'inject its solid particles into the pores or interstices of the metal. Owing to close proximity of the jet nozzles to the wire, the" desired impact is achieved with a quite moderatevelocity of delivery, this being desirable to minimize rebound of the mixture and resultant dissipation thereof to atmosphere.

The major portion of the excess mixture falls or splashes back into the pan I I, whence it flows by gravity to the tank I9. Upon'a sufficient accumulation in said tank, pressure in the tank I2 is relieved, and contents of the tank I9 are trans ferred by gravity to the tank I2. i

It has been found that the described treatment of a trolley wire will under mostconditions sufiice to maintain proper lubrication of said wire over a period of several weeks, the tread surface of the wire becoming smooth and glassy following its first traversal by the contact maker of acar and maintaining that condition, with very slight evidence of 7 Wear. Furthermore,;this result is accomplished with no detraction from the currenttransmitting properties of the wire. r

' Asevidencing the-efie'ctiveness of jli zbrication viscous lubricant. Delivery of such a lubricant,

suspended in aliquidsprayand in intimate association with a filling medium, is essential to eifect a lasting adhesion to the wire and moreover achieves an almostperfect uniformity of lubrication while rendering contamination of the atmos: phere negligiblaaccomplishing this result with greatersimplicity, less expense, and more expo ditiously 'than' has been possible by any prior methods. a 1 V v I e It is furthermore important tonote that the said tank to a point of use, means for imposing air lubricated surfaceis left perfectly dry as soon as adhering water evaporates, thus eliminating attraction of dust and grit to the lubricated face, as where oils or greases are employed.

While the invention has been illustrated as applied to lubrication of a current-distributing trolley wire, it is to be understood that tread faces of current-distributing rails or tramway cables may likewise be advantageously lubricated by the described method.

It is further to be noted that the graphited surface of the treated wire, cable or rail acquires a much greater resistance to accumulations of sleet in cold weather, and that consequently it may be desirable, during freezing weather, to spray the upper as well as under surfaces of conductors and cables.

While it is apparent that the illustrated em-.

tainer, a delivery connection from the second to the first named container, a valve controlling said connection, a pan mounted below said nozzle for catching the excess lubricant delivered therefrom, and a delivery connection from said pan to the second tank.

2. In a lubricating apparatus, the combination with a trolley pole and trolley wire, of a contactmaker, terminally carried by said pole and engaging said wire, a nozzle directed toward said wire, a drip pan below said nozzle, means for supporting said pan and nozzle upon the pole, and means for delivering a lubricant to said nozzle.

3. In a lubricating apparatus, a lubricant storage tank, means for delivering lubricant from pressure on the contents of said tank to eifect such delivery of its contents, a second tank mounted at a level above the first tank, means for returning excess lubricant to said second tank from the point of use, and means for regulably establishing a gravity flow from the second to the first named tank.

4. In a lubricating apparatus, the combination with a vehicle, a trolley wire, a contact maker engaging said trolley wire, and a support for said contact maker, rising from said vehicle, of a lubricant container carriedby said vehicle, a lubricant delivery nozzle carried by said support and directed toward said trolleywire, a flexible delivery connection from said container tosaid nozzle, means for inducing a flow through said connection, a receiver for excess lubricant carried by said support, and a flexible connection from said receiver to said container for the return of excess lubricant. g r

5. A lubricating apparatus comprising a current collector to engage a trolley wire, a spray gun having a passage therethrough, a support for the collector, means to mount the gun on the support in predetermined relation to the collector and wire, a receptacle for a fluid positioned at a distance from the gun, a conductor from the receptacle to the gun to conduct fluid thereto and means to supply air pressure to the receptacle to force the fluid material to and through the said passage and onto the wire.

6. A lubricating apparatus comprising a current collector to engage a trolley wire, a spray gun having a passage therethrough, a support .for the collector, means to mount the gun on the support in predetermined relation to the collector and wire, a receptacle for a fluid positioned at a distance from the gun, a conductor from the receptacle to the gun to conduct fluid thereto, and means to force the fluid material from the receptacle to and through the said passage and onto.

the wire.

CLARENCE G. WEI-IRLY. 

